Savory Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Recipes - Pumpkin Soup and Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta SauceAmong things we love in November are the ubiquitous foods featuring pumpkin that hit tables this time of year. While a nutmeg-y sweet pumpkin pie is de rigueur for the Thanksgiving finale, Naples-based Kellie Akehurst, who runs personal chef business Culinary De-Lite, prefers the golden squash in savory dishes. The chef created a creamy soup and pumpkin Parmesan sauce, which she makes for clients and family. Fall’s most decorative vegetable is more than a perfect partner for spices from cinnamon, to curry, to chili powder, it also packs nutritional punch. That orange flesh delivers healthy antioxidants like beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, E, and B, and vital minerals. All this goodness amounts to just 30 calories per cup, for which we are certainly thankful.

 

Pumpkin Soup

  • Olive oil
  • 1 sm. Spanish onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 32 oz. chicken broth
  • 15 oz. canned pumpkin
  • 1 tbsp. cumin
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 2 tbsp. curry
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Sweat onions and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to simmer.
  2. Slowly whisk in broth keeping on medium heat. Soup will appear thin here as you are blending in the pumpkin; it will thicken as it heats through.
  3. The spices are used to get it to your tastes so feel free to adjust amounts. This would be were my husband would come in and tell me to add red chili flakes, he likes everything spicy. This soup can handle the heat. You will notice I did not add cream or milk; I feel the pumpkin already has a creamy texture and if I can cut down the fat and calories in a dish without endangering the flavor I will.

Pumpkin Paemesan Pasta Sauce with Chicken - Kellie Akehurst - Culinary De-Lite

Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta Sauce

  • Olive oil
  • ½ Spanish onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 16 oz. broth
  • 15 oz. canned pumpkin
  • 4 oz. Parmesan
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ½ lemon (juice)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. butter

Method:

  1. Sautee onions and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add broth and slowly whisk in pumpkin over medium-high heat. If the pumpkin boils too hard it will start bubbling up and popping so be careful not to burn yourself. Keep an eye on it, it thickens quickly and you don’t want to scorch it.
  3. Slowly whisk in Parmesan, keep stirring so cheese does not go to the bottom and burn. Lower heat when all of the cheese is added. Keep stirring as it melts.
  4. Add in the fresh thyme and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
  5. If I am using ravioli or tortellini I just throw it into the sauce to cook; they cook quickly. This saves me a pot of boiling water.
  6. If you would like to add a protein, I usually marinate a chicken breast in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, fresh thyme, salt and pepper. After it marinates for a least 30 minutes I throw it on the grill.

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